Milwaukee Journal Sentinel File Photos

While the cool lake breeze coming through the screened porch signals the inevitable weather turn, nothing says the coming of fall in Wisconsin quite like a gaggle of Packers backup quarterbacks channeling the Keystone Kops in a preseason opener.

I'm better than good with that — autumn, not Aaron Rodgers' understudies making precision throws to Arizona defensive backs — because this particular change of season will be accompanied by newfound relief as well as the usual sense of heightened anticipation.

Relief in that the Ryan Braun episode will finally be in the rearview, at least until the guy comes out of hiding in spring training.

All you really want to see from the Brewers after Sept. 1 is Scooter Gennett, Khris Davis, Caleb Gindl, Logan Schafer, Tyler Thornburg, Johnny Hellweg, Jimmy Nelson, Hunter Morris, Rob Wooten and anybody else who might be a part of their future.

What you want to see from the Packers is some sort of assurance that they can protect their most valuable asset. Rodgers was sacked 51 times last season behind a line that included Bryan Bulaga for nine games. Whether Bulaga was part of the problem is not as important as whether the inexperienced players who would replace him on a reshuffled line can help keep Rodgers out of the training room.

Most likely, the Packers are still the class of the NFC North. It's a little optimistic to believe that the Vikings, Lions or Bears have sufficiently closed the gap. What you really want to know is if the Packers can compete where it really matters, outside the division. The playoff loss to the 49ers was thorough enough and fresh enough to create doubt on their yearly Super Bowl aspirations.

Meanwhile, in Madison, relief and anticipation are running the same routes.

Not since Earle Bruce was run out of Columbus has there been such satisfaction over the departure of a successful coach. Bret Bielema won 74% of his games with the Badgers, and roughly 0% of the Wisconsin constituency misses the off-field high jinks or the game-time immaturity that accompanied his tenure.

The primary adjective you hear associated with Gary Andersen is "solid." Solid as a coach, solid as a man, solid as a selfless-type leader who has his priorities in order. Of course, no one knows if such admirable personality traits will get the Badgers back to the Rose Bowl, but they are a welcomed relief at a place that could use a jolt of responsible adulthood from the second-most powerful person on campus.

Andersen has the dilemma of what to do at quarterback, which is nothing new at UW. But more than anything, I am anxious to see his game management and how players react to such an abrupt change in the coach's personality. We're all ready to be pleasantly surprised.

Both football teams will be into their seasons about the time the Bucks open training camp. Seriously, I haven't been this enthused about seeing their product in at least a decade.

It is encouraging that basketball decisions are finally being independently made by basketball people. The completely new direction of stripping down, going young, building around two talented big guys and reining in the payroll for the day when they might again become competitive has to be a welcomed change by anyone who understands the dynamics of small-market NBA realities.

Think of it this way: Who would've imagined a year ago this time, as our Charles F. Gardner put it, that O.J. Mayo's pedestrian salary would be the team's highest?

Believe it, just as sure as the snow fences are coming to Bradford Beach. But in this particular year, who could complain?